An Attempt At A Summary ....

The Baby Blues cartoon from this morning's paper struck me as an apt summary of what's been going on here lately.

the "lesbian safe sex" pamphlet is wrong-wrong-wrong

Alright, I am on a Mission from God.

The Comment left on the earlier thread, apparently written by a high school student, takes it as a given that the "Woman to Woman" brochure is real and valuable and contains important information for young gay women to learn.

That thing has to go.

At least one IUFSD student has apparently been misled by the brochure into thinking that the claims it makes are accurate.

They are not.

"nothing to do with you"

A Commenter has left this message concerning black and Hispanic achievement on state tests:

And as for no hispanic children passing exams, there is no reason to even be talking about that issue. It has NOTHING to do with you.

Here is what the state of New York tells citizens on the subject of whether whether white parents should concern themselves with the achievement of black and Hispanic students:

Analysis of Student Subgroup Performance

Historically, on State assessments the average performance of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students has been lower than that of White and Asian students. Similarly, students from low income families have not performed as well as those from higher income families. A high priority of the Board of Regents is to eliminate these gaps in student performance. In addition, Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act includes explicit requirements “to ensure that students served by Title I are given the same opportunity to achieve to high standards and are held to the same high expectations as all students in each State.”

This section of the school report card provides performance data for two years by racial/ethnic group, disability status, gender, English proficiency status, income level, and migrant status. The purpose of the student subgroup analyses is to determine if students who perform below the standards in any school tend to fall into particular groups, such as minority students, limited English proficient students, or economically disadvantaged students. If these analyses provide evidence that students in one of the groups achieve at a lower level than other students, the school and community should examine the reasons for this lower performance and make necessary changes in curriculum, instruction, and student support services to remedy these performance gaps. If your school did not report data for the 2002-03 school year for a subject and grade, a table showing data for subgroups in that subject and grade will not be included in the Analysis.

source:
Overview of School Performance
English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science and Analysis of Student Subgroup Performance for Dows Lane (4-5) School in Irvington Union Free School District February 2004
March 19, 2004
Main Street School 4-5
page 8

Fido Puzzle - Solved by Third Graders

I think I've mentioned before that I teach a high ability math group at a charter school in Phoenix. Long division took less than 2 weeks to master and we're finishing up the Primary Math 3a book this week, well ahead of my predicted schedule.

Math has always come easy to this group, and I've been working challenging word problems and logic stumpers with them. Last week, I saw a post on Thoughts on Teaching about the Fido Mind Reader on the 7up website.

I showed the site to my students, who ooohed & aaahed over it, then told them I thought that they could try to out figure how it works. We discussed methods of problem solving and I told them we would try a chart or table. The worksheet provided plenty of subtraction review. Of course, one of them found the pattern that makes the puzzle work.

Conferences and report cards went home this week so I must confess, I didn't try to figure the puzzle out before I assigned it. Working the pattern on the board with the students, I saw immediately that the student's answer was correct.

Could any KTM readers tell me how a big a challenge this puzzle presents?

Check out my excited students on our classroom blog:

Brainbusters

a 2nd child tries to tell the principal about the pamphlets

I learned today that a second child, a 6th grader, also tried to tell the principal that the brochures were "bad" or "inappropriate" in some way. The principal brushed him off with some form of dismissive hand gesture.

My friend, the clinical psychologist, told me that the principal's refusal to take these children seriously is especially bad. She says that, regardless of the wording the kids used, these children were trying to tell the principal that they knew they shouldn't be reading the pamphlets. They were appealing to the leader of their school for help.


healthfair

common sense

from Steve H:

If my son is going to be part of a union school, then I (a parent) want a place at the negotiating table. Schools say they want involved parents, but it's only on their own inscrutable terms. If a school can't be run without video cameras in the halls, metal detectors at the doors, or random locker searches, then I want the option of sending my son to some other school. I don't want a black and white, legalistic school for my son who might get caught in some sort of Kafkaesque punishment scenario. I want a school run by adults who use common sense and can deal with the ambiguities of kids who are just beginning to mature. Isn't that what schools are all about these days - child centered discovery learning? Discovery doesn't work well with three strikes you're out. I don't want a school that caves in to litigation threats or uses the threats as justification for rules that make their jobs black and white.

My school, for several years now, has been using "our children's safety" as a justification to lock parents out of the building.

In fact, one of the kids came home from school two years ago and said the principal had told them that the reason they had to have lockdowns (another one coming right up) was that a divorced parent might come into the school and kidnap his child.

Now, I have no idea whether the principal actually said that....but I also don't know how this child, who was then in 6th grade, would get the idea that he had if he didn't.

Everything changes in middle school.

Suddenly, in middle school, parents are seen as a danger to their children. Not always, but often enough. It's in the air. e.g.: drinkin', druggin' celebrity parents.

I'm going to diagnose this phenomena as a case of projection.



from Barry G:

Our teen center (run by the local community center) has dances every Friday (7th and 8th grades). You can drop your kid off at whatever time, and pick your kid up at any time. Kids aren't allowed out of the building, however, unless accompanied by the parent/guardian picking the child up. That makes sense to me. They do everything by common sense. They know who I am, so if I want to go in and look for my daughter in the dance room, they let me do so. I notice that the new people they've hired who don't know me yet don't allow me in the dance room. The idea is they don't want strangers prowling around at a dance for pre-teens. Good idea. Common sense counts for a lot.

Everything here, and I mean everything, is handled as if Irvington were located in the middle of the Bronx in 1970.

Pretty soon we're going to be strip-searched every time we attempt to enter the school.


healthfair

managing middle school students

This Comment, from Doug, describes exactly what has happened at the middle school:

The bad news is that the school just took a major hit to its credibility with the students. The punishment was a joke and was seen by the students to be a joke. This will dramatically reduce the ability of the school to make credible threats or implied threats, both of which are critical to discipline.

Nothing destroys discipline like badly managed punishment, especially when the punishment is seen by its targets as unjust.

The principal's ability to lead and/or manage the kids was already in tatters before the Health Fair, as should be apparent. You can see him becoming ever more punitive, ever more rule-bound. The principal's letter about the dance is extraordinary - 18 rules cited altogether, including a brand new rule which is that parents have to park their cars and enter the building on foot to pick up their criminal children.

For the record, Ed has always said the same thing. One of the reasons he dislikes character ed is that the kids invariably think it's a joke. Ed says principals, teachers, and professors should never give students a reason to find them foolish.

The administration of our school - certainly the principal - seems to have no awareness that respect can't be granted in an employee contract. Respect must be earned. The contract gives you the power to punish the kids, make new rules, enforce 18 rules at the dance, etc., etc.

The contract does not give you the respect or even the consent of the children and parents upon whom you enforce the rules.

If you don't earn respect, sooner or later you will have to go.

As to the 18 rules for the dance, I sent an email asking whether there is also a 19th, unlisted rule stating that parents can't chaperone their children's dance.

No answer.

To find out, I will have to call his secretary and set up a meeting.

This is crazy.


healthfair

invitation to the dance

Friday, October 12: Health Fair

Friday, October 12: backpack letter re: school dance (see below)

Saturday, October 13: principal passes buck to Director of Health & P.E.

Monday, October 15: students report to cafeteria at lunchtime to serve group punishment reflection

Monday, October 15: Director of P.E. apologizes and explains to middle school parents

Wednesday, October 17: t/k

October 12, 2007

Dear Parents,

The first dance of the year for the students of IMS is on Friday, October 19, 2007. The dance runs from 7:30 to 9:30 P.M. These dances are chaperoned by the administration and staff of IMS. Only students living in the district who are in middle school may attend (a permission slip is required for students who are not at IMS). Contact the main office for further information.

The dance will take place in the Maher gym. Students should enter and exit through the door located by the student drop off area in front of the gym. The doors open at 7:20 and the dance begins at 7:30. Doors are normally closed at 7:45 and no one else will be admitted after 7:45 unless arrangements have been made via a note given to the principal prior to the evening of the dance.

The students are not permitted to leave the dance before 9:30 unless they are personally picked up by a parent or guardian who comes into the gym hallway to meet the child. Once a student leaves the dance he or she will not be readmitted. Parents should pick up students promptly at 9:30 P.M. at the drop off area in front of the gym building.

Admission to the dance is $3.00. Students may purchase tickets beginning Monday, October 15th in the morning at the school store or during lunch in the school lobby. Students may also purchase tickets at the dance, but they will have to wait in line to do so. Students who purchase tickets ahead of time must present the ticket at the dance in order to be admitted. They will not have to wait in line unless they have lost their ticket. However, if a ticket is lost, a new one will have to be purchased. Beverages and baked goods will be on sale. Children do not need more than $5.00 for the evening and should keep the money with them during the dance. All proceeds from the dance are used for Student Activity projects.

Backpacks are not allowed into the dance. Coats will be left in the library for the duration of the dance and students will not be allowed to return to the library at any time during the dance. Since there is no safe place for valuables to be left, students should leave valuables at home. The school cannot be responsible for money and/or valuables left in coat pockets.

Our dances are well supervised by the staff from 7:20 to 9:30. Parents are asked to pick up children promptly. Also, your child needs to know how to contact you while at the dance should the need arise for you to be called. If you have questions please feel free to call the school office.

Sincerely,

J.W.

Principal


black and Hispanic students in a Natl School of Excellence
news from nowhere, redux
meanwhile, somewhere in a parallel universe
things my child learned about gay women in school this week
also playing in a parallel universe
email to the principal, part 2
further
ktm-2 readers make up a word problem for IMS
profiles in courage
new talent at the forum
my tax dollars at work
character education emergency
invitation to the dance

healthfair

help desk - math survey

The district has sent middle school parents a survey that needs to be rewritten. Some of the questions are fine, but ... well, you'll see the problem when you read.

The two most wrongheaded questions are these:

4. I am able to comfortably assist my son/daughter with math homework.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree __ Strongly Agree _

11. I believe the math curriculum is preparing my son/daughter for success on the New York State Assessments.
Yes
No

How should I revise this?

What questions would appear on a math survey that asked the questions I want to answer?

9-12 MATH PROGRAM PARENT SURVEY - FALL 2007
(Please return surveys by October 26, 2007)

To assist us in the evaluation of our math program, please take the time to complete this survey. Please return this survey in a sealed envelope to your child's Math teacher.

1. What grade is your son/daughter in school? (Indicate more than one response if appropriate)
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12

2. The District has provided adequate communication regarding the 6-8 math program.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

3. My son/daughter has a positive attitude towards math.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

4. I am able to comfortably assist my son/daughter with math homework.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree __ Strongly Agree _

5. The amount of math homework is acceptable/appropriate.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree_ Strongly Agree _

6. I am regularly apprised of my son/daughter's performance on math assignments and/or assessments.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

7. My son/daughter is adequately challenged in math.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

8. I understand the concept of writing in the content area.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

9. If applicable, enrichment opportunities for math are provided for my son/daughter.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

10. If applicable, remedial assistance in math is provided for my son/daughter.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

11. I believe the math curriculum is preparing my son/daughter for success on the New York State Assessments.
Yes
No

12. I am clear about the expectations that the teacher has for my child in Math.
Yes
No

13. I employ a private math tutor for my son/daughter.
Yes
No

14. I utilize the District web site to learn information about the math curriculum.
Yes
No

15. My feedback about my child's learning strengths and needs in Math is valued.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

16. My participation in my child's learning is valued in this school system.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

17. I think there is evidence that my child's performance in Math is improving over time.
Strongly Disagree _ Disagree _ Agree _ Strongly Agree _

18. What are some examples of this evidence?

19. Please use this space for additional comments.

Thank you for your valuable input!
(Results will be available by November 15th)

character ed emergency

Monday's group punishment (did I mention the group punishment? That would be the one meted out to the kids on Friday after they'd run amok at the Health Fair & then -- who could have predicted this? -- gotten rowdy at the Assembly held immediately afterwards) ..... Anyways, the group punishment proceeded as planned on Monday. The entire school reported to the cafeteria at lunchtime instead of going outdoors to play and hang-out, as they normally do. As instructed, they came bearing pencil and paper, and were given a Problem-Solving character-ed exercise to complete.

Which is really pretty remarkable when you think about it.

Over the weekend I sent all concerned a copy of my board attorney friend's explanation of group punishment, an exegesis so clear, and so obviously composed by a real live attorney, that it would certainly strike fear in my heart if I were a principal planning a three-grade group punishment in a town filled to overflowing with attorneys.

But, no.

The group punishment proceeded as planned.

Why?

Because it wasn't a group punishment.

It was a group reflection. So many of the students had been "inappropriate" that the principal felt they needed to reflect on their actions.

At the time that this characterization arrived (I figured that's what it would be, group punishment masked as character ed), I just so happened to be visiting with a friend who is a clinical psychologist.

This is what she had to say:

Whether or not Mr. W. defines a “group reflection” as punishment, most people would recognize that keeping children from any portion of their recess is experienced as a punishment by the child. The technical term for this is time out from reinforcement. The fact that Mr. W. does not recognize his action as a punishment calls into question his judgment. If he does recognize his action as a punishment, but has chosen to call it a “reflection,” this calls into question his honesty.

Furthermore, the decision to pair a behavior the school wants to increase, i.e. writing, with a negative consequence will only serve to make the first behavior less frequent.

Finally, transparency in disciplinary matters is as important to managing children as it is to managing a school district. Trust fails when authority figures say one thing and mean another.

So: group punishment, bad.

Group reflection, also bad.

At this point, the character ed situation around here is fast becoming an emergency. It has to go.

Scenes from the group reflection:

• One student, handed the Problem Solving sheet by a teacher, said politely, "No thank you" and continued walking. Teacher didn't follow.
  

• Another student filled in the various sections of the Problem Solving sheet with random terms. Egg was one, as I recall. Also global warming.
  

• One of my favorite kids in the school wrote, under the section where the kids were supposed to come up with ways to prevent inappropriate behavior at an assembly from happening again, "Stop having guest speakers."

• C.'s picks: "Set up torture chambers" and "Have disruptive students fight each other to the death."
  

• My favorite of the lot: "Extend the poetry section in ELA."
  

When that last kid showed his answer to the math teacher, the math teacher laughed.

I love Irvington kids (I love some of the teachers, too). If I had to run a school full of Irvington kids - or any middle school kids anywhere on Earth - they'd chew me up and spit me out. But I love them.

Back when we all did our middle school survey (was that just a month ago??) I had to fill in a section tell some things I liked about the school.

I wrote, "the peers."


black and Hispanic students in a Natl School of Excellence
news from nowhere, redux
meanwhile, somewhere in a parallel universe
things my child learned about gay women in school this week
also playing in a parallel universe
email to the principal, part 2
further
ktm-2 readers make up a word problem for IMS
profiles in courage
new talent at the forum
my tax dollars at work
character education emergency
invitation to the dance



healthfair

my tax dollars at work

Have I mentioned I've become a small-l libertarian here in my old age?

Well, I have.
And not a moment too soon.


black and Hispanic students in a Natl School of Excellence
news from nowhere, redux
meanwhile, somewhere in a parallel universe
things my child learned about gay women in school this week
also playing in a parallel universe
email to the principal, part 2
further
ktm-2 readers make up a word problem for IMS
profiles in courage
new talent at the forum
my tax dollars at work
character education emergency
invitation to the dance


healthfair

new talent at the Forum

here

and

here


black and Hispanic students in a Natl School of Excellence
news from nowhere, redux
meanwhile, somewhere in a parallel universe
things my child learned about gay women in school this week
also playing in a parallel universe
email to the principal, part 2
further
ktm-2 readers make up a word problem for IMS
profiles in courage
new talent at the forum
my tax dollars at work
character education emergency
invitation to the dance


healthfair

“Would benefit from increased participation.”

These were the only teacher comments on a 10th grader’s English Honors progress report card. (I believe these are all canned comments that the teachers select from a menu when they’re preparing these reports.)

When they read this report, his parents went through their usual routine of asking their son what he thought about this comment and what action might he take to improve his performance.

Son told his parents that every day the class breaks into groups to discuss three questions the teacher has for them. Each student writes down responses to the questions and the teacher randomly collects one set of responses from each group. Son said he’s usually the leader of his group. When asked why he claimed to be the leader, he said the other kids usually ask him what they should write down and he tells them.

Then, son remarked that maybe the teacher wants him to ask more questions as a way of showing more participation. Maybe he should not complete all the assigned reading each night. That way, he said with a note of sarcasm, he might have more questions.

Parents know their son is extremely bright, and he hates to make waves. They’re not sure if his perception of this situation is entirely accurate, but they’re confident that there is some essential truth in it.

Parents yearn for the days when “chalk and talk” was more common than group chats in the classroom. They are thankful that at least the math teacher told them he’s not using “class participation” as a factor for calculating grades.

Isn't it ironic?

My district has paid a conflict resolution facilitator to meet with several math focus groups. Why? Because parents from two of the six schools have voiced various concerns over their schools' math program, TERC aka Investigations in Number, Data, & Space. The focus groups consist of parents from the district. The district has a total of six elementary schools, two middles schools, and a high school. The focus groups have put parents from two elementary schools together.

What's ironic?

Tonight was the focus group meeting of parents from the two elementary schools with the TERC math curriculum. Too bad the facilitator did not show up.

Do you think petty cash can pay for the sitter?

profiles in courage

I'm the guy taking the blame.


black and Hispanic students in a Natl School of Excellence
news from nowhere, redux
meanwhile, somewhere in a parallel universe
things my child learned about gay women in school this week
also playing in a parallel universe
email to the principal, part 2
further
ktm-2 readers make up a word problem for IMS
profiles in courage
new talent at the forum
my tax dollars at work
character education emergency
invitation to the dance


healthfair

ktm readers "make up a word problem" for Irvington

Liam earned $1.00 on Monday, $2.00 on Tuesday, $4.00 on Wednesday, $8.00 on Thursday,
Appropriate response: Does Liam have enough money to buy a dental dam on Friday?

There are 6 cookies. _____ children could have _____ cookies each.
Appropriate response: Can the children catch HIV from sharing cookies?

In my hand I have 9¢.
Appropriate response: Where is my other hand?

by Tex



the 8 percent solution

That last one is particularly apropos.

I learned from one of C's friends today that a bunch of the 8th grade boys grabbed the drunk driving bumper stickers off one of the tables -- message: 0.8% Don't Blow It! and plastered them on their crotches.

The 6th grade boys and girls, some of whom are as young as 10 years old, were present for this.

Tomorrow the entire school -- all 3 grades -- has lunchtime detention, or so it appears. Some kids think the whole school has detention; one kid I talked to thought he had lunchtime detention but his brother did not; other kids have no clue at all.

The most likely story appears to be that the principal said to the assembled 3 grades, after the nutrition speaker had finished stirring them up over their lousy eating habits and their weight, "Come rain or shine, everyone's in the cafeteria on Monday. Bring pencil and paper."

This is a familiar form of group punishment for Mr. Principal, keeping kids indoors for lunch.

I interpret "bring pencil and paper" to mean that the kids will have an "opportunity" to "problem-solve," as they did last February, re: bomb threats. (Students, We've had a number of bomb threats on our MS/HS campus. We would like you to use the Problem Solving Steps from our character education problem, Social Decision Making and Problem Solving, to find a solution to this ongoing problem. etc.)

Or maybe not.

Who can say?

Administration is on radio silence.


healthfair


black and Hispanic students in a Natl School of Excellence
news from nowhere, redux
meanwhile, somewhere in a parallel universe
things my child learned about gay women in school this week
email to the principal, part 2
ktm-2 readers make up a word problem for IMS
profiles in courage

Are “Headline Stories” a good use of class time?

Every day for about ten minutes, elementary teachers using the Think Math program are supposed to engage the class in an exercise called “Headline Stories”.

This unique feature, the “Headline Stories,” provides open-ended situations in which specific mathematical ideas are embedded. It has three main purposes:
• to develop students’ skills at deriving real-world meaning from mathematical statements and deriving mathematical meaning from real-world situations,
• to develop students’ skills at using both natural language and mathematical language to describe ideas drawn from mathematics or the physical world, and
• to help students learn to solve word problems by understanding how they are built.

Like a newspaper headline, Headline Stories give clues about what might follow, but they leave out the details. Only rarely do they pose a specific problem. Envisioning a story and asking the right questions are left to the students. Part of the learning goal for students is to discover what mathematical questions are possible to ask, or answer, about a situation.

Apparently, the teacher reads aloud or writes a “headline” and then leads the class in a discussion, occasionally journaling. The teacher’s guide gives examples of appropriate mathematical responses for each story.

For instance:

In my hand I have 9¢.
Sample responses: Can it be shared evenly among three people? How can it be made? That’s 2¢ more than I had yesterday. I used to have a dime, but I spent a penny.

There are 6 cookies. _____ children could have _____ cookies each.
Sample responses: 3 children could have 2 cookies each, or 6 children could have 1 cookie each. 4 children could have a cookie each, and 2 cookies would be left over. Up to 12 children can have half a cookie each.

Liam earned $1.00 on Monday, $2.00 on Tuesday, $4.00 on Wednesday, $8.00 on Thursday,
Sample responses: Each day he earned more than the day before. By Thursday, Liam earned $15. 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 15. I think he’ll earn $16 on Friday. If this pattern keeps up, Liam is going to be quite rich! How much did he earn so far? If the pattern keeps up, how much will he earn next Monday? I don’t think the pattern can continue.

I don’t fully understand the relative benefits of this exercise. From doing this, a student is supposed to learn how to pull out relevant math information from a statement. However, couldn’t this be better accomplished using actual word problems? Is this a typical time wasting reform exercise? Or, is this a good way to have students construct and learn key math concepts. Also, does successful implementation of this exercise require exceptional teaching skills and math knowledge?

further

Ed said, yesterday morning, "I don't know what a dental dam is, and I am the son of a dentist."

Well, Ed, this is your lucky day.

One of ktm-2's very own, Vicky S, has Googled the answer.

black and Hispanic students in a Natl School of Excellence
news from nowhere, redux
meanwhile, somewhere in a parallel universe
things my child learned about gay women in school this week
also playing in a parallel universe
email to the principal, part 2
further
ktm-2 readers make up a word problem for IMS
profiles in courage
new talent at the forum
my tax dollars at work
character education emergency
invitation to the dance


healthfair